When I was little my family did some 'messing about in boats' but they were small craft with oars or a motor. Recently one of my sons owned a fabulous motor boat where we all spent many happy hours. I have not spent any time on sail boats. But I am always aware of those passages in the New Testament where boats are mentioned. Peter owned boats and had partners in the fishing trade. They were familiar with being out on the water at all hours and under all weather conditions. Paul made many voyages around the Mediterranean.

As we approach a new year, it is almost like taking our craft out of the protected harbor and beginning a new voyage. One can feel a bit becalmed in the harbor, setting sail near the shore, but when the wind arises out in the open water it is a different story. Each new year is a new opportunity, a trust placed on us to use our gifts and talents, a time to grow. It may often seem like the wind is in your face, holding you back, making you struggle. And yet....in those very conditions the disciples saw Jesus walking on that same water. He was showing us that we can choose to stay above the waves and calm the storm. In one instance, when he joined them in the boat they were instantly at their destination. The Christ was with them so time and distance could not hold them back or hinder their progress.

This is the time to prepare to leave the harbor. No good sailor would launch out without being sure everything was in order and the supplies were on board. He would have charted his course. He would have chosen his destination. Make your plans for 2010 as if you were going on a cruise. Don't let negative thoughts, adverse conditions, or poor preparation turn you back.

It's going to be a wonderful trip.

The New Year and green pastures

This morning I awoke with the words of Hymn 148 singing in my mind. This beautifully written poem by Anna Waring (1830-1910) is a constant source of inspiration. I love to pray with this hymn.

It opens with the affirmation that because I abide in heavenly Love I won't fear change. To abide is to reside permanently in one place. So many are facing challenges with home and employment issues as we come to the end of 2009. Many are fearful of what lies ahead. This poem reminds us that change is a part of the continual unfolding of the good God has already prepared for us. Change does not have to be a bad or a negative thing at all. We certainly do not need to fear it. It is progress and progress and forward movement are part of Principle, God's law of good.

I love to think of the part that says 'the storm may roar without me' as 'the storm may roar without my participation'. Storms happen. It is not the storm, but how we react to it that matters. Jesus stilled storms. We never need to feel dismayed by what the world is stirring up around us.

The second verse begins with 'wherever He may guide me, no want shall turn me back'. Be sure you take time each morning to pray for yourself and to include this thought in that prayer. God is guiding you at all times and under all circumstances. Wherever He is taking you, He knows the way and would never put you in danger nor make a false promise of good that remains unfulfilled. It goes on to say that 'no want shall turn me back'. No lack shall hinder your advancement. No longing shall hold you back or keep you from seeing the good that is right at hand. Include that in your prayer as well.

Verse Three continues to echo Psalm 23 with the idea of 'green pastures'. What a refreshing and rich metaphor. Lush fields filled with tasty clover. Soothing to the eye. Abundance as far as the eye can see. A soft and comfortable place to rest and be feed. The Shepherd is on watch and you can know you are guarded and protected all day long from anything that would attempt to threaten you. You won't have to deal with it, that's the Shepherd's job. We are lead to and can rest in green pastures each and every day. We don't create them, God does that.

As this year winds to a close, it is good to reflect on all the good that has come our way. It is good to express that gratitude to friends and family. Don't leave God out. Thank Him often. Look ahead to a good year about to start, filled with promise and spiritual growth, rich with opportunites to use the gifts and talents He has given you in the ways He will open.

Expect green pastures.

just who was he?

For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11)

It occured to me that none of the disciples were present when Jesus was born. They didn't even know about him until 30 years later. So where do all the details of the Nativity come from? I think we owe Luke the thanks for that. He gathered eye witness accounts of all that happended and that included Mary's memories.

Jesus was born in the humblest of circumstances but the air above was filled with an angel chorus. The little family was in a nondescript stable or cave but a bright star drew kings to honor his arrival. His birth was contrary to the laws of life, his death was contrary to the laws of death. He did not own wheat fields or a fleet of fishing ships and yet he fed multitudes...twice...with left overs. He did not own a home laid with lush carpets but he walked on water, supported by divine Love. When he died, few mourned the event, but millions know about him now. Sin never touched him. Those who tried to put him in a grave learned that his body rose again, no dust to dust but the child of Genesis One.

Was he merely the son of Mary and Joseph who lived 2,000 years ago and had a brief career as a healer and teacher? Or is he so much more than that. Is he the greatest gift we have ever been given?

Yes, he is. He did it all for us. Your burden has been lifted. Your sin has been forgiven. Your life has been redeemed. It is not about Christmas presents, it is all about Christmas presence. Christmas is all about God's gift of love. How many presents do you choose to leave unopened? Open this one and rejoice.

Bless this house

When I was a child I remember a small plaque my mom had on the wall in our kitchen. It is amazing to me that those words have stayed with me all these years. I never knew where they were from and assumed it was something from the Bible. They came back to me this week as I prayed for harmony in these final days before Christmas and peace in these final weeks of 2009.
This morning, on a whim, I typed the first line on Google and up came the entire thing. It turns out is from a song written in 1927 that was later recorded by some of the top singers of my parents era; Perry Como, Rosemary Clooney, Myron Floren, Mahalia Jackson, Kate Smith, to name a few. I don't remember ever hearing it as a song but that first line made an impressin on me all those years ago and I prayed with it in many forms all day yesterday. Here are the words to the song.

Bless this house, Oh Lord we pray
Make it safe by night and day
Bless these walls so firm and stout
Keeping want and trouble out

Bless the roof and chimneys tall
Let Thy peace lie over all
Bless this door that it may prove
Ever open to joy and love

Bless these windows shining bright
Letting in God's heavenly light
Bless the hearth, a-blazing there
With smoke ascending like a prayer

Bless the people here within
Keep them pure and free from sin
Bless us all that we may be
Fit , Oh Lord, to dwell with Thee

Bless us all that we, one day
may dwell with Thee, Oh Lord, we pray

Bless this house, Oh Lord, I pray and make it safe by night and day. Enable me to know that You bless this home and everyone in it at all times and under all circumstances, that every hour we may overcome evil with good. Let me think of 'house' as my consciousness or spiritual awareness so that I ask Your blessing on all my thoughts all day and all night. Let them all be in accord with what divine Mind is knowing. Bless this household for I dealy love everyone within it and am grateful for its shelter and protection and beauty. Help me understand how safe we all are in Your tender loving care. Bless this house today.

I am so glad this came back to thought after all those years. It is just as powerful now as it was then and it awakened the child in me.

'Children of Israel Camp' syndrome

As we continue reading about the Children of Israel being let go from the slavery of Egypt, they have left it behind and headed for a Promised Land of their own. It isn't long before they encounter two major problems. They come to the Red Sea stretching out before them and there doesn't seem to be a way forward. They are being persued by the Egyptians who changed their mind and want the slaves back. The waters part and they go over on dry ground while their enemies are destroyed. Huge. Then.....there is a giant 'now what?'

In a very short time that wonder is forgotten and they begin to 'murmur'. How many of us seem to be in the 'Children of Israel Camp' where all we do is complain because nothing seems to be happening. You even find yourself questioning why you are on this journey in the first place. God continues to teach them lessons. They overcame an insurmountable enemy threatening them from without and now they must confront one from within, hunger and thirst. The bigger fear behind that is that their human needs will not be met. Who is going to provide food and water in the middle of nowhere? Once again divine Love provides an answer, this time one that shows up each and every day for the next 40 years. It seems it will be two generations growing up outside of the influence of slavery and false gods before they are truly ready to love their Promised Land. They need time to know and love their God. Having made the decision to rely on Christian Science, maybe even having some insurmountable problem healed, we soon find ourselves in that 'camp' mentality and questioning if we are taking the right path. We need to see this new way of life, of Life, practical and tangible day by day. Mrs. Eddy writes in the preface of Science and Health: "To those leaning on the sustaining infinite today is big with blessings." No waiting. God is a very present help in trouble.

You have found Christian Science...or it has found you. You may have hit that first obstacle that you simply could not deal with humanly and had divine intervention 'part the sea'. Now, don't enroll in Children of Israel Camp and start complaining or questioning. Continue to remember how you felt as you 'walked through on dry ground'. Believe in the promise. Believe in the Promiser.

God preserves us - going out and coming in

Our Father not only created us in His own image and likeness, He preserves us in that perfect state. This week's Bible Lesson starts with that keynote to be strong and not to be afraid or dismayed. Many seem to be struggling with all three of these claims. That Bible verse from Joshua ends with a reminder that God, divine Love, is with us wherever we go. As we get in to the first section of the lesson, Psalm 121 says that God will preserve our 'going out and our coming in.' The New Living Translation says God will watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever. The Message Bible translates that as 'He guards you when you leave and when you return, He guards you now, He guards you always.' There is a practical thought that you can use as you go about your busy day during this holiday season. It gives you strength.

I was reading an excellent article in this week's Christian Science Sentinel about Church in Action. The author had gradually stopped attending services and soon came to feel that he had stopped growing spiritually as well. As he prayed, he felt he needed to return to his local branch church, despite all the reasons that he had stopped attending in the first place. He did but he was always late and soon he was showing up late for other things as well. One Sunday an usher took time to talk with him about his 'dismay' and assured him that he was always in his right place. No obstacle could prevent him from being where he needed to be. As he listened to the rest of the service he gained much inspiration. That was the end of the chronic lateness at church and elsewhere. God preserved his going out and his coming in.

We read a lot about Moses in this lesson beginning with his experience by the burning bush. God had an assignment for Moses. Forty years earlier, Moses had been adopted by Pharoah's daughter when all Hebrew male children were being killed. He had been raised as a prince but forced to flee for his life when he killed an overseerer who beating a Hebrew slave. He had spent those years tending the flock of his father-in-law in a rural area. Now God wanted him to go back and confront Pharoah, who was to let the Hebrew slaves go free. Moses was a bit taken aback. He was the embodiment of feeling afraid and dismayed. But God assured him that he was anointed and appointed to this task and God would be with him all the way. He would preserve his going out and his coming in.

I am going to write out God's assurance and keep it with me all day today as I go out and come in. 'Certainly I will be with thee'. It's a certain thing. I really like that idea. It can work for you as well.

advent and the nativity

Today is the first day of the Advent season. My son Jim and his family started a tradition for me by giving me a beautiful wooden train with advent doors built right in. They present the train during Thanksgiving weekend and I set it up with my Christmas decorations. Then starting on December 1st I open the little compartments. Last year, along with a tiny hand-written scroll by family members I got a piece of Dove chocolate. This year, it appears it will be M&Ms. I store the train with my Christmas decorations and return it to them in November of the following year.

I love the whole holiday season and I hope people describing me would say 'she knows how to keep Christmas well.' Several years ago I devoted time and study to the Nativity, the story of Jesus' birth and it was a wonderful and rewarding experience. I started that because of what Mrs. Eddy says in Miscellaneous Writings: "It is most fitting that Christian Scientists memorize the nativity of Jesus." I made a list of the things I considered important about the nativity story; the angels, the shepherds, the Magi and their gifts, the star, Bethlehem, etc. I hope that in the hustle and bustle of holiday preparations everyone finds quiet moments to think about those things and feel connected with what we are really celebrating.

It fits right in with this week's Bible Lesson on God as the only Cause and Creator and the Goldent Text inviting us to 'come' and 'see'. Come to Christmas with the delight of a child and see the wonder of the season. Agree with Scrooge's nephew that this is the one time in the year when all hearts are open to the welfare of others. If you don't own a copy of Dicken's A Christmas Carol...go right out and buy one. It divides into sections as Scrooge is introduced and then has his encounters with the Spirits. Make the commitment to set aside time to read it without any other distractions. Fix a cup of hot chocolate to sip as you read. You will be doubly warmed. Incidently, it makes a wonderful read aloud book. One year we made a project out of it and recorded it as a family using a radio script complete with our own sound effects. What a hoot. There are several DVD versions of the story as well. I especially like the one with Patrick Stewart as Scrooge and the Albert Finney musical version. And I must watch the Muppet's Christmas Carol several times with Michael Caine. He may be my favorite Scrooge.

So as we move into December there are two reading assignments for you. Read the nativity as given in the Bible. Use several translations. Read A Christmas Carol, the ultimate story of a life redeemed. Savor both stories.

Hear the angels sing.

come...and...see

I am so looking forward to studying this week's Bible Lesson on God the only Cause and Creator. Imagine what your day will be like if you see everything that happens as caused by divine Love, as created by divine Mind, including yourself. God is wonderful and awesome, not just a loving God but Love itself, not just a living presence but Life itself, the Truth behind all of His creation. The Lesson begins with the keynote to 'come and see' the works of God. Come. See. The first thing I thought of was Jesus telling Peter to 'come' when he walked on water. Peter stepped out of the boat and as long as he kept his eyes on the Master, he could 'see' the power that controls the wind and the waves. Come. See.

The Responsive Reading begins to expand on those commands. The very first word is 'behold'. I always watch for that word. When it begins a sentence. it is much like that command to 'come and see', it means something connected to the activity of God is about to be revealed. We are to pay special attention. Isaiah describes what almost sounds like a parade. His reward is with Him and His works before Him. Everyone that He has created is there moving before Him and everything that He has created moves in accord with Him. How amazing it would be to go witness such a parade. It is possible for us to do this, in fact, we should be thinking of God and His creation that way. We are part of the parade.

Isaiah continues on to say 'lift up your eyes on high'. Now, I live with my teenage grandson and there is much 'lifting up of the eyes' in the sense of rolling his eyes when reminded about chores or questioned about school grades. This is not what Isaiah is telling us to do. Look up not down. If you find yourself with your head hanging down in exhaustion or despair, lift it up instead. Lift your thought and 'behold'. God's wonders are all around you at all times and under all circumstances. You are always in the presence of divine Love and surrounded by the protection of divine Principle. Isaiah understood that because God is strong in power not one of us can fail. For we are His exact image and likeness, just like the reflection in the mirror. That is what is true about us. That is how He created us and His creation does not change or decay or fall or run out of money or ideas.

I work and pray with our hymnal every day. Today it will be with hymn 246. I'll keep that open on my desk and refer to it all day long. It is based on this verse from Isaiah. If you are struggling with finances or worried about giving your loved ones a happy Christmas, look at the second line: He who depends on Thee, ne'er is forspent. Are you feeling a bit 'forspent'? God is the source of your supply. If He can't run out of something, than you can't either. Come and See what He has available for you. It may come in the form of an idea or it may mean some unexpected supply appears.

This week remind yourself several times a day to 'come and see'. What you are turning to and looking for is the good works of God. You will not be disappointed.

Joyful noises

If a friend or family member was to describe your day-to-day conversation, would they say that you make 'joyful noises'? That is what we are instructed to do in the Bible. Our Thanksgiving Bible Lesson begins with that keynote from Psalms 147:7. Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving.

Think about it. What is your casual conversation like? What sort of comments do you tend to make? Be alert to slipping into negative thoughts that get expressed in negative comments. It is so easy to start being critical of others. Uncorrected, those thoughts lead to critical statements. Is that really how you want to describe God's children? Is that really how you want to be seen as a child of God?

Take time today to make 'joyful noises', sing some praise to God for His ever-present goodness, rejoice in His creation. Make the conscious decision to eliminate anything that is not a 'joyful noise'. After all, since God is everywhere at all times we are always in His presence. As divine Mind, He is all-knowing and all-seeing. What He is always knowing about you and how He is always seeing you is as His very own image and likeness. Let's be sure we appreciate what that means and live up to it. Let's look for it in others.

Do you have a favorite hymn or a favorite song that is playing with a Christian theme? Hum that song or hymn today and think about what the words are saying. We are only a few days from celebrating Thanksgiving. How much thanks have you been giving?

"Unto Thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto Thee do we give thanks." (Ps 75;1) I am going to look for more moments to be giving thanks to Our Father. It will sweeten this whole week and give special meaning to Thanksgiving Day.

Make a 'joyful noise' today.

words of wisdom about giving

Section Four of the Thanksgiving Bible lesson has such words of wisdom in relation to giving. Our holiday season is filled with opportunities to give. Along with that is the ability to be a gracious reciever of others gifts. Those may take the form of presents or it may be an offer of a meal or a ride or a favor. Someone may offer to add to your meal with something they can bring. Be sure you are ready to recieve graciusly as you are also graciusly preparing to give.

Mrs. Eddy writes: "Giving does not impoverish us in the service of our Maker, neither does withholding enrich us." When we feel the impulse to give, in accordance with expressing our nature as the child of divine Love, this impulse cannot cost us anything in time, or energy, or peace. When we are 'about our Father's business' we are sustained and maintained by divine Love in this work. It is an unlabored sharing. There are times to be wise and not overextend ourselves physically or financially, but when that seems wisdom, it is not withholding. If we hold on to what we have, with a sense of limitation, then we fear to spend because we are not trusting God to replenish us. Watch that thought and correct it. Don't limit God.

We need to be aware of the needs of those around us and be willing to help. That help comes in so many forms, money only being one of them. We are blessed when we see our brother's need and supply it. We always feel good when this happens. Mrs. Eddy says it nicely, "The rich in spirit help the poor in one grand brotherhood, all having the same Principle, or Father; and blessed is that man who seeth his brother's need and supplieth it, seeking his own in another's good." A moment of your time can turn someone's day and attitude around.

One thing you can share is your understanding of God's goodness and allness. The greatest gift is to help someone who is struggling to see that God is a very present help in trouble, ready and able to heal and save and provide. I hope you are experiencing this in your own life and willing to tell someone else about it. It can change a life. It changed mine and I will be eternally grateful that Christian Science found me and has enriched me in so many ways.

Freely ye have recieved, freely give.

II Cor 9:7,8

This is one of my favorite passages in the Bible. It was beautifully translated so I will give you first the King James wording as it appears in the Thanksgiving Bible Lesson. "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all suficiency in all things, may abound to every good work."

That is so lovely but listen to this from the New Living Translation....You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. "For God loves a person who gives cheerfully." And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others."

Here is the version given in The Message Bible. I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it over, and make up your own mind what you will give. That will protect you against sob stories and arm twisting. God loves it when the giver delights in the giving. God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you're ready for anything and everything, more that just ready to do what needs to be done.

This is such a powerful statement as we move past Thanksgiving and into Christmas. My favorite Christmas story, besides the one told in the Gospels, is Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol. What an amazing story of redemption. It is never too late to change your thinking and your life, to make amends for things you have said or done...or not said or done. We can give in so many ways besides just presents. And God will provide us with the means to do that. We can pray to see that divine Love showers us with good, more than enough to meet our own need, so that we can show compassion to others. Be a giver who delights in the giving. And recognize the source of this as God.

More than a verbal expression of thanks

I'm back from my week visiting with my Matthew in California. This morning I am studying the third section of the Thanksgiving Lesson and loving what Mrs. Eddy has to say about how we show our gratitude. She writes: "Gratitude is much more than a verbal expression of thanks. Action expresses more gratitude than speech."

Many times we are grateful for something someone has done. We might take a moment to say thank you. How much better to not only do that but to show how we feel by being a better person, by smiling first, by quietly doing those dishes or taking out the trash, by reading that child a story yet again, by cuddling our pets. We can show our gratitude for the good that has come our way, even if we are not feeling very blessed. In fact, that is the very time to express gratitude for God's goodness and constant care, just when we are being fooled into thinking it is missing. Jesus gave thanks before he raised Lazarus because he already knew his Father was going to take care of it. Whatever challenge is facing you today, find the grace to be grateful right where impatience or negative thinking seems to be.

Thanksgiving is just weeks away. Be thinking of what you have to be grateful for this year. Some families go around the table before the meal and each one who wishes can share something they are grateful for. What would you say?

You never know just who is aware of your actions and inspired by them. And if no one seems to notice, rest assured, God, divine Love, notices.

Rain in due season...reaching to the sowing time

Moving on to section three in the Thanksgiving Bible Lesson we read about God's promise to the children of Israel. He has lead them safely through the Red Sea, away from the slavery in Egypt, and reminds them of their part of the bargain. We are to 'walk in His statutes and keep His commandments'. We are to live a good life, loving God and loving our neighbor. We are to obey the Commandments.

In return, God says He will give us rain 'in due season', the 'land shall yield her increase', and the trees will 'yield their fruit.' So if you are not a farmer what does that have to do with everyday life? To me, seasonal rain means that what I need will appear when I need it, in the right time and in the right way. My life can be on an even keel without times of flood or drought, times of too much activity or too many unpaid bills, times when the supply seems to dry up or I am without inspiration or right activity.

The promise continues on with more good news. He says that 'your threshing shall reach unto the vintage and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time.' The wheat harvest will last you right up to the time the grapes are ready and what you harvest from that will last you right up until the you sow the next crop. Your threshing season will overlap with the grape harvest and that will overlap with the season for planting grain. No gaps, no shortages, no lack. All you need all year round. He promises that you shall 'eat your bread to the full.' This is being satisfied and reminds me of a phrase from one of Mrs. Eddy's poems: 'who doth His will, His likeness still, is satisfied.'

The promise ends with the assurance that you will 'dwell in your land safely.' That is no small thing in this day and age. It is a promise of security, the very best homeland security, because you are living in His kingdom. This promise is to all mankind, in every city, in every village all around the world.

I will surely be praying with these ideas today. They are reasons to feel grateful for all the good God, divine Love, is providing. They are promises and His promises are kept.

So who were Graham and Cutter?

I have this really great book called "Mrs. Eddy Mentioned Them". Every once in a while a name comes up in Science and Health and it is a good idea to research why she felt she use them as a reference. In the Thanksgiving Bible Lesson there is such a reference in the second section which is all about food and diet.

Mrs. Eddy writes; "Did Jesus understand the economy of man less than Graham and Cutter?" So who was Graham? Sylvester Graham worked as a farm hand and a clerk and taught school. He studied at Amherst for the ministry and was connected with the Pennsylvania Temperence Society and lectured on temperance. In time, he gave his whole attention to lecturing and included diet among his topics. Emerson dubbed him the 'poet of bran bread and pumpkins'. Graham introduced Graham bread, made of unsifted wheat flour, into general use. Today we all eat Graham crackers (most commonly with Hershey bars and marshmellows). But in their early days they were considered a health food.

Dr. Ephriam Cutter began his practice of medicine in Massachusetts. He took both his B.A. and M.A. degrees at Yale but went to Harvard for his medical training. Oliver Wendall Holmes was one of his teachers. He was enthusiastic about his profession and through many articles published in medical magazines he exerted a wide influence. His inventive mind enabled him to suggest improvements for the microscope. His writings on the bearing of food upon health were widely read in Mrs. Eddy's day.

All of this medical opinion is countered with Jesus' approach to 'take no thought for what you eat or drink'. My favorite thought about this comes from page 388 in the textbook where Mrs. Eddy says "If mortals think food disturbs the harmonious functions of mind and body, either the food or this thought must be dispensed with, for the penalty is coupled with the belief." Brilliant. I would hope anyone concerned about dieting or weight issues would take this wisdom to heart and study Christian Science. It is time for us to demonstrate our dominion, our God-given dominion, over food. That is not saying we need to stop eating or enjoying food, it just means that we need to see clearly that we can not be penalized by food. We control our bodies, not the other way around.

I love this section of the lesson and look forward to more indepth study of the remaining two sections the rest of this week.

So who were Graham and Cutter?

You are not a sheep without a shepherd

Staying with the second section of the Thanksgiving Bible Lesson, I was struck this morning by the wonderfulness of Mark 6:34 which reads "And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things." I think I will make that my phone message today.

You are never helpless or hopeless or alone. Your Shepherd is beside you (see hymn 148) and caring for you in every way all day long. I studied the 23rd Psalm for a year and turn to it often in my own spiritual journey. This is what drew me to Christian Science, because it is the way I see God and have seen Him all my life. The religion I was raised in presented a punishing God, a God far removed from me, a God who could get angry at me. The first time I read Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy I cried when I came across her spiritual interpretation of this Psalm. It was exactly what I believed about Him. Divine Love.

A Good Shepherd is constantly thinking about his sheep. He prepares a day that meets their every need. He leads them to good pastures filled with tasty clover, a safe place where they can rest after the long walk into the hills. He sees that they have fresh water. He sings to them or plays music to soothe and calm. He watches over them and gently brings back those who stray. He protects them from enemies and danger. He leads them back to the fold in the evening, checking each one for any scratches or irritations, rubbing in pure olive oil. Then they get that cup of water before bedtime.

We are His sheep and He is caring for us just like that each and every day. We are never without His tender ministrations and guidance. You are being treated with compassion. God has given you dominion over all things. His law enforces this. Rejoice in your status as a treasured and valued member of His flock. Don't ever choose to identify yourself any other way.

Stop fussing

This morning I concentrated on the second section of the Thanksgiving Bible Lesson and nearly missed something important. When we come to a familiar passage it is easy to just zoom through it. If I catch myself doing that, I stop and go back, praying with humility, "Father, help me to remain teachable. I know You are giving me grace for today and I want to be watching and praying for it." The passage is from Luke 12. Jesus is preaching and teaching. He has already told them to 'have no fear' about things that could harm the body. In this passage, Luke 12:22, he goes on: "Take no thought for your life, what ye shall it eat, nor about the body what ye shall put on." I didn't at first see an immediate application in my life but as I took a moment to think about his words and what is going on around me, it did.

The Message Bible translates this as 'be not anxious about your everyday life. Don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtime or if the clothes in your closet are fashionable.' If I am honest with myself I have moments when I am tempted to be anxious about my everyday life. Will I have the finances to meet the needs of that day? Will there be enough to allow gifts to the ones I love this holiday season? Am I worried that I will eat more goodies than I should and put on a few pounds? Am I giving up my dominion over the fish of the sea and the fowl of the air as I savor my tuna steaks or chicken parmesan?

I am leaving on Saturday for a one week visit with Matt and Emily in California. I am so grateful that this long anticipated visit is finally going to happen. It is just not ok to go so long without being with them. And yet, I pulled out my suitcase and started to worry about what clothes I would take. How will I look to them? Everything I own is an old and trusted friend but my wardrobe is hardly fashionable. I don't want to be what Charles Schultz would call a 'fuss budget'. So I am taking the Master's words to heart and will challenge all those negative thoughts as often as they come up. I will counter them with confidence instead of anxiety. I know I can trust my Father to give me grace for today and every day. What others will see is my love for Him shining all through me and divine Love enveloping all of us.

It will be interesting to see how many times I remind myself to 'stop fussing' and take that moment instead to be with God and feel His goodness. That is a much better thing to 'take thought' about.

Eat what is set before you

As I continued studying the Thanksgiving Bible Lesson this morning, I was stuck by a Biblical reference to food and feasts. It is found in I Corinthians, a letter Paul wrote to the church he founded in Corinth. Paul is instructing them about the limits within which a Christian lifestyle should be lived, to encourage them to consider not merely whether a thing is permissable, but whether it is helpful to others, as well as ourselves. He was giving practical guidelines for the dangers of joining in what might be a sacrificial, idolatrous feast. Most of us won't be invited to one of those, but we might find ourselves in an atmosphere somewhat different than we might have provided if the 'feast' was in our home.

He writes: "If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no questions for conscience sake." He goes on to caution that if they were told that anything being served had been originally part of an offering to an idol, they should abstain from that. He clarifies that this attitude of making a conscious choice about what you eat or drink, or how you choose to behave yourself, should be done to honor God, and in a way that does not give offense.

Mary Baker Eddy addresses this beautifully in our Church Manual in what is called The Rule for Motives and Acts. We are not impelled in our motives or acts by animosity or mere personal attraction. We do not react with disgust or indignation to what others choose to believe nor should we consent to eating or drinking something just because someone we admire or care about makes such a choice. This Rule ends with a reminder to watch and pray daily to be delivered from judging or condemning, or being influenced erroniously. Sound advice from both Paul and Mrs. Eddy as we move into the holiday season.

Neither of them prohibited joining in festive occasions. Both offered sound advice on how to handle yourself in those situations in a manner that does not cause offense or lead to wrong decisions. That is a good guideline for not overeating. Mrs. Eddy says, "If mortals think that food disturbs the harmonious functions of mind and body, either the food or this thought must be dispensed with, for the penalty is couple with the belief." Hmmm. The most important thing is to examine your thoughts and be sure that whatever decisions you make are in line with your highest sense of right and that everywhere you go, whoever you are with, your behavior honor's God and good.

Jesus was often invited to be a guest at feasts. He went and ate what was served him. He answered questions, using the occasion to tell them more about God. He healed. See Luke 10: 8,9.

I am looking forward to this holiday season and all the blessings it will bring. And some turkey.

Standing pools and no decreases

I love the Bible. I love studying the Bible. I just love it when something I read opens up with new meaning. Recently I purchased a new parallel Bible. It allows the reader to compare four modern translations; the New King James version, the English Standard version, the New Living Translation, and The Message. I hope you are familiar with one or more of these versions. I am using it this morning as I continue to study the Thanksgiving Lesson.

So many requests for prayer and treatment are related to supply. The first section of the Lesson offers some help in that area. Psalm 107 says that God turns the wilderness into a standing water and the ground into watersprings. One of the translations changes ground into parched land. I can see using this to pray about dried up sources of finance or emptied bank accounts or limited employment. Another translation changes standing water into fresh pool of water. I like the image of what appears to be a dried up source changed into a pool of fresh water; sweet, clean, refreshing, giving off a perfect reflection.

I have never been to Niagra Falls but understand it is totally awe inspiring to stand beside it and see the amount of water that is flowing...and flowing....and flowing. What a visual presentation of abundance being constantly renewed and expressed.

We also read that God blesses us, multiplying us greatly and suffers not our cattle to decrease. I don't happen to own any livestock but I devote my full time and attention to being available for Christian Science treatment, Christian healing. Giving my days over to loving God and praying for His children is my occupation and I expect it to expand and increase. What Christian Science offers is healing and the world is looking for it. I can expect those calls to increase, not decrease. Whatever your occupation is, you can expect more opportunities to use the gifts and talents God has given you to increase. This in turn brings in more supply, not just in money but in spiritual growth.

So be aware of that lovely pool of water being provided for you. Know that divine Love is blessing you daily, multiplying the good in your life.

Passing through on dry ground

This morning I continued to study the first section of the Thanksgiving Bible Lesson. It includes that passage from Science and Health where Mrs. Eddy refers to the children of Israel being guided triumphantly through the Red Sea, which she defines as 'the dark ebbing and flowing tides of human fear. How often do we find ourselves standing in front of just such a picture? We seem to be facing an insurmountable problem, like debt or illness, with an army of negative thoughts coming at us from all sides. It would appear there is no way out.

Right at that point, God does something wonderful. He parts the Red Sea. That very obstacle that seemed impossible, divides, and the children of Israel walked right through it on dry ground. They didn't even have to deal with mud. The army that tried to follow them was simply washed away.

God is always ready to 'part the Red Sea' for us. It has no power to resist His power. It must yield and obey His law. It cannot so much as make the way sticky. You, His beloved child, can pass right through that trial on dry ground, a firm foundation, with nothing to impede your progress, nothing to slow you down.

If you feel trapped or backed into a corner, when escape from an overwhelming challenge looks impossible, remember that you are not in this alone. God, divine Love, is always right here, right now. Ready to part that Red Sea. Providing you with a firm foundation. Eliminating whatever is trying to threaten or pursue you. And when you get safely to the other side, pause to thank Him for your deliverance. For your freedom. Acknowledge your status as His child. See yourself under His protection. This is who He is. This is what He does. And you don't have to earn it, it is yours by His grace.

Don't be afraid to step out confidently as Love opens the way. It would be pretty silly to stand there looking at the dry ground and not move forward with gratitude and expectation of good. He isn't going to let those waters close over you or let your enemies overtake you. Here is an opportunity to see Him at work. Watch it happen.

I am deep into holiday preparations with my son and daughter. Most of the grands are in their teens and want to have parties with their friends. Ian and Katie Rose, six and two, are just beginning to see how our family celebrates the fall holidays.

What fun to see a holiday refered to in the Thanksgiving Bible Lesson. The Lord is instructing Moses on what He wants the people to do. They are to celebrate from Sabbath to Sabbath for one week. The outline for the Sabbath is given in Exodus 12: 1 - 14. The beginning of the grain harvest included waving a sheaf of new corn before the Lord as an acknowledgement of His bounty. We will include corn in our Thanksgiving menu this year.

During the week the people had the Festival of Booths or Tabernacles. It was observed from the 15th to the 22nd in October and marked the end of the agricultural year when the combined produce for that year as well as the grain harvest has been secured. It was a time of great rejoicing and they camped out in booths constructed of branches. These could be set up on their roof or out in the street. They commemorated the sojourn in the wilderness.

In all the hubub of planning, shopping, cooking and eating of your Thanksgiving feast this year, be sure to take moments to praise God. The Lesson reminds us that He satisfieth the longing soul and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. Reach out to family, friends and neighbors sharing your love for God. let gratitude permeate your days. Be grateful. Give thanks.

Feel free to camp out in the back yard.

Thanks-giving

So just what is it for which we are to be giving thanks? We live in challenging times. The world seems sunk in depression, many are struggling with finances, the news is filled with health threats. How does one keep thought uplifted and grateful? It all goes back to God. The Thanksgiving Bible Lesson opens with a Golden Text from Psalms. "Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving". Have you ever sung to God? Have you ever taken a moment to sing your gratitude for the good that is already present in your life? We all should find time for that every day. Watch for and be aware of the good happening all around you.

Many people have those hand-held music thingies with playlists of their favorite songs. They listen to them often. Somewhere in your own personal favorites there must be a line about love. Try adapting it to sing silently to God and tell Him you love Him. That warm feeling you get is Him singing "I love you back".

The Lesson continues with a Responsive Reading that encourages you to make that joyful noise, coming into His presence with praise. What are we so happy about? He is our God and we are the sheep in His pasture. He is our Father Mother and we are His beloved children. He is divine Mind and we are what He is thinking about. He is Love and we are what He is loving.

I love the description in this section of what God does for us. He prepares the 'corn' and provides it, the things we will need. (Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need) Once we plant this 'corn,' this seed, in thought, it needs to be tended and nourished. So He waters the soil, a softening influence in stony or stubborn ground. He settles the furrows, smoothing out the rough patches in life. He keeps it soft with showers, showers of goodness and blessing. He blesses what springs forth as a result. All this leads to a wonderful harvest, the coming to fruition of our prayers and hopes. Your 'year', your efforts are crowned with success and there should be rejoicing on every side. What blesses one, blesses all. Those green pastures are now filled with flocks; flocks of ideas, evidence of abundance, glowing health. You should be moved to shout with joy.

But God is satisfied with that quiet song. A simple 'I love You'. Sing one today.

Getting ready for Thanksgiving

I know, I know, Halloween hasn't come yet and here I am talking about Thanksgiving. But it is one of my favorite holidays and especially dear to me as a Christian Scientist. Our churches hold a service on Thanksgiving Day. You are invited. If you can't get to a service, you can get the Thanksgiving Bible Lesson in the form of a small pamphlet. I'd be delighted to send you one!

So, over the next few weeks that is what my blog will be about. Thanksgiving and the some of the thoughts in this wonderful lesson. You can be thinking back on some of your families gatherings. Remember those feasts and be grateful for those who spent hours and hours getting all those yummy dishes ready, set a beautiful table, did the cleaning up, and set out all those leftovers for turkey sandwiches while you watched the reruns of the Macy's parade or Miracle on 34th Street.

This is a time for happiness and gratitude. Make the most of it for the next few weeks. It is a very satisfying thing to do.

...for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me (John 14:30)

This morning I pulled out a little book of daily devotionals. I'm not even sure how I was lead to do that but I am so grateful that I did. I opened to the entry for October 23 and found the Scripture mentioned above. When I first read it, I was disappointed. I thought I had been lead to this book for a purpose and those words did not inspire me. In fact, I was not sure what they meant. So I read further.

The writer explained it like this. Imagine you owned 10,000 acres of land. You buy 9,999 of those acres but I keep one acre for myself in the very center of that property. And I reserve the right to cross through your property to get to mine whenever I want to and you can't stop me. It would be like choosing to live your life to your highest sense of right but keeping one little place open for wrong thoughts or motives. You are allowing error to creep in, or boldly march in, whenever it wants to and make its presence known and felt.

But Jesus says: the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. He has no property, no place in me. Every child of God, every child of Good, can look error or temptation or illness or lack in the face and say: you have nothing in me - no territory that you occupy, no domain, no dominion. Not over what I say or think or do. You cannot influence me in any way. You cannot make yourself felt or obeyed. You do not control me. I am the Lord's property. I am my Father's child.

That is a very powerful message and I am so looking forward to using this idea today. I hope you will too.

Jesus' practitioners

As the time approached for the crucifixtion experience, Jesus was well aware of what lay ahead. He tried to prepare his students by telling them that he must go to Jerusalem, suffer many things from the authorities, and be raised up the third day. They could not or would not believe this. How was Jesus himself dealing with it? Well, he had certainly proved his ability to heal others and even to raise the dead. But he had not yet had to go through any physical attacks on his person. One time, when a crowd gathered to throw him off a cliff, he just walked right through and escaped. But according to the Scriptures he faced beatings, ridicule, and violence.

Jesus had no one to turn to in the way Christian Scientists might contact a practitioner, someone who has made the commitment to devote themselves full time to the practice of Christian Science healing. So he took his three most devoted students up to 'an high mountain apart'. And I can believe that both literally and spiritually. Because before their eyes he transformed himself, so that his face did shine like the sun and his clothing was as white as light. Not only did he do this but standing with him were Moses and Elias. Moses represented the law and Jesus was certainly familiar with the things Moses had done to lead his people from slavery in Egypt to the border of the Holy Land. Elias was one of the greatest prophets and it was in his writings that Jesus learned what awaited the Messiah. So he called upon them in his hour of need for inspiration and encouragement. Both had been dead, as far as the world was concerned, for hundreds of years and yet there they were in the flesh. The disciples recognized them as people and not as spirits. So Jesus uplifted his disciples thought even as his own was being lifted.

If you find yourself facing something too awful to deal with on your own, know that you are not alone. Help is only a phone call or email away. Practitioners are standing by 24/7/365 and so is God, our heavenly Father, divine Love. Those calls are answered, help is given, the situation gets resolved, but best of all, we gain a clearer view of God, His wonderful creation, and our place in it as His beloved children, safe in His unfailing care. Don't hesitate. Call.

arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house

This week our Bible lesson is on Christ Jesus. We are studying the story of his healing of the palsied man. Confined to his bed, unable to walk, this man was brought to Jesus by his friends who believed the Master could help him. What I am paying particular attention to in this story is how Jesus healed him. Those present believed that this type of illness was a punishment from God for a sinful life. Whatever that man had done, whatever choices he had made, he was now stricken with this condition. He was not born with this problem, he appeared to have brought it on himself. Palsy, however, was not a physical condition, only the physical manifestation of what this man accepted, and felt he deserved.

At my Association meeting our speaker made it very clear to us that we should never accept illness or error or limitation as a reality, as a condition that needs correcting. It is only a suggestion that there is another power present other than God, good, and that this other power has the ability to control us or harm us. It is a false belief about man as mortal. It tries to reverse the truth of our spiritual being. The Bible, the inspired Word of God, says clearly that man was made in the image and likeness of God, the divine Mind. We are one of His ideas, created whole and perfect, faultless. An image is the exact duplicate of the original. Like the image in the mirror, it cannot do anything but reflect the original. That is the reality of our being and Jesus was very aware of it at all times. So aware of it that he saw this in everyone he encountered. This true view of them broke the illusion and healing occured as one's true nature was revealed, the perfection that was always there, even when hidden by the mask of mortality.

He addressed the man with three commands and these are words you can pray with to reverse whatever error you are dealing with. First, he said 'arise'. Lift up your thought, don't accept this as your problem because it is not brought on by God, who is the only cause and creator. All that He causes and creates is good. He fills all space so there is nowhere for something He did not cause or create to exist. There is no other power to cause or create it. The reflection is always true to its original. Rise up your thinking to honor God in this way and to see that you are His beloved idea and child.

Then he told him to 'take up his bed'. He was to show his mastery over that which was trying to confine him. This symbol of his enslavement had no power over him, quite the reverse. He was not condemned to spend his days lying on a bed as a constant reminder of past mistakes. He was forgiven and cherished by his heavenly Father, who wants us to express all health and holiness and wholeness. Lift up your thought and then lift up your body. God gives us dominion.

Finally, he was to 'go unto thine house'. This man was to go home. Maybe he had been cast out by his family. Maybe he had chosen to leave them for a different lifestyle. Maybe he had been ashamed to go back once he was striken by palsy. Whatever the reason, he was to return to his home and his family. But Mrs. Eddy, the discoverer and founder of Christian Science, takes this idea to an even higher leve. In her spiritual interpretation of the 23rd Psalm, she substitutes 'spiritual consciousness' for the word 'house'. As in, 'I will live in the house (the consciousness) of divine Love forever. This man was to go back to his spiritual consciousness, to the place where he always lives in God's house.

We can use all three of those directives as we work out whatever it is that is trying to tie us to a problem or challenge; physically, financially, emotionally. Remember, it is not a condition and it is not yours. It is only a suggestion, a lie, an illusion, about your unbroken relationship to God as His very own idea and child. Arise, show dominion, and go 'home'.

I love this week's Bible lesson

Yes,I love this week's Bible lesson for the way it is presented. The subject is Soul, which is all about our spiritual sense. Mrs. Eddy gives us a beautiful definition for spiritual sense in the chapter called Science of Being in her book Science and Health. She writes: "Spiritual sense, contradicting the material senses, involves intuition, hope, faith, understanding, fruition, reality."

That sentence is in the first of the six sections of the lesson and then each of the next sections works with one of those qualities. It is such a lovely progression of our spiritual growth. We may need to have intuition first, as Jacob did when he wrestles with the problem of being reunited with the brother he had cheated out of his inheritance. Growing beyond intuition comes hope. One definition of hope is to wish for something with expectation of its fulfilment. Doesn't that lead beautifully into faith!

There is an example of this in the Gospels when Jesus stills a storm. The terrified disciples had awakened him, sure they were about to perish. As if a ship carrying Jesus could sink. He calms the storm with a word and asks them where was their faith. Sometimes that is what we need when we pray for healing, faith that God hears us, loves us, and will bring it to pass.

So beyond faith comes understanding. It is not enough to have faith in the principle of mathematics. When we understand it we can apply it and get the right answer. Understanding.
Then with understanding comes fruition. In the chapter Footsteps of Truth Mrs. Eddy writes: "Knowing that Soul and its attributes were forever manifested through man, the Master healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and feet to the lame, thus bringing to light the scientific action of the divine Mind on human minds and bodies and giving a better understanding of Soul and salvation." And this is exactly what those who turn to Christian Science find today.

This spiritual reality is what we think of as heaven or the kingdom of heaven. And it is available to each of us instantly.

casting nets

One year, as I prayed for a topic to study to continue my spiritual growth, the phrase that came to me was 'cast your net'. It just so happened that was the year that I considered being part of the this new world wide thing called the internet. I had made the commitment to devote full time to the practice of Christian Science healing and to be available to take calls from the public 24/7/365. It was a time to open my thought and my heart to the world. Mrs. Eddy wrote of this over 100 years ago: "Millions of unpre-judiced minds - simple seekers for Truth, weary wanderers, athirst in the desert - are waiting and watching for rest and drink. Give them a cup of cold water in Christ's name, and never fear the consequences." (S&H 570)

So I spent that year studying and praying and listening for wisdom and guidance about 'casting' my net . Every day I began with another sentence she wrote: "Those, who are willing to leave their nets or to cast them on the right side for Truth, have the opportunity now, as aforetime, to learn and to practice Christian healing". I won't attempt to put all I learned that year into one blog but I can say that I was very grateful to have this sentence appear in this week's Bible lesson on Truth. It brought back so much of the sweet study.

Are you willing to leave your net? Are you willing to abandon old ways of thinking and acting in your search for answers and healing? It takes courage to do that. It takes faith. Your net is what you have relied on for supply. It is your means of communicating with others. It is your circle of contacts. It is also a limited way of thinking about your life, as if you had no other choices. The disciples had spent three years traveling with Christ Jesus, watching him interact with crowds, hearing him teach in their synogogues and gathering places, learning how to think about God and their relationship to Him. He was their teacher, teaching them how to do what he was doing and commanding them to take this freely shared teaching to the world. When they thought he was gone they did not do that, they went back to their old life. They went fishing for fish. They went back to their old belief about nets.

Early in his ministry he called out to them one day, as they were trying for a catch and not finding any fish. He told them to cast the net on the right side. It was now daytime, when the net is visible and the fish could just swim away, but Peter, willing to obey his teacher, agreed to let down the nets one more time. And now they could hardly pull them in, they were so filled with fish. Three years later, as they once again tried unsuccessfully to fish, the Master appears on the shore and gives them the same instructions, cast your net on the right side. Once again, it is filled with fish where it had been empty before.

As you learn to turn to God, good, for your daily needs, do not be afraid to place your full reliance on Him. He loves you. You are His image and likeness. He is your beloved Father Mother. In divine Mind you are a complete and cherished idea, fully supported with all your needs met. If your need is to see a change in your life, what Mrs. Eddy calls 'a wider sphere of thought and action', a building of your business, or a strengthening of a relationship, or a physical healing...don't be afraid to cast your net, knowing His strong arm is helping you. If what you have been doing seems unsuccessful, be willing to listen for His guidance and cast that net in a new way...with the confidence of divine Love's complete intention to bless your life.

Don't be surprised if you are suddenly dealing with a huge catch!

Babel or babble?

I was just reading a great article in this month's Christian Science Journal. I love the Journal for its indepth articles and this one really made me think. The story of the tower of Babel is found in Genesis following Noah and the flood. This ties in with the second account of creation, the one where God creates man from the dust of the ground and woman from one of Adam's ribs. These children disobey and are punished, sent from the garden of Eden out into the world. This is not the loving Father who creates man and woman in His own image and likeness and gives them dominion.
A couple of hundred years later the earth is populated. The people are basing all their knowledge on the material sense of things. God is not among them but high up in the heavens. At least they were all of one speech. One section of the population decides to build a huge structure that will reach up to where God is. Jehovah visits the site and in anger, confuses their language so they cannot communicate. The people then scatter.
This allegory has many applications to our daily experience. We can choose which version of creation we believe to be true. This is what you base everything upon, this is what you understand about God and your relationship to Him. But if you choose that second version you accept that there is disobedience, anger, jealousy, hatred, ambition, cruelty all around you. And that God is an angry, punishing Father. You choose to accept as real what you can see with your eyes and hear with your eyes as realitly.
This picture of our world puts men and women at odds with one another. We find ourselves in situations where cooperation is needed and instead, those involved are not communicating. There is misunderstanding and mistrust. This is not dominion, this is not all things working together for good. Babble.
If you find yourself surrounded by babble, just take a step back and choose instead the first account of Genesis. God's beloved child has never left that account, but demonstrates dominion. All of divine Mind's ideas dwell together in harmony and progress is the law of God, good.
Babel or babble? It's your choice to make.

new study - God's promises

After much praying, struggling with what to do about attending an Association this year, I finally felt that it was right to proceed with plans to go to New York in August to attend my own Association. I had to deal with the fear that I could not afford the flight. A letter came from the Association saying funding was available to help. The amount I would get back was half of the cost of the ticket, so I got on line and booked a ticket. Then I had to figure out where I was going to stay. The hotels around the air port or the church seemed way out of reach. I went back to the letter and saw that a Christian Science facility not too far away was offering rooms. The amount it would cost to stay there was the same as the amount being reimbursed by the Association, so I called them and booked a room for both nights. The next challenge was how to get to Association on Saturday as it was quite a distance from the church. The woman who helped me with my reservation said that another guest was driving in from Connecticut and he had offered to drive others to Association in the past. I called him and he was very happy to offer me a ride to Association. As we spoke, I asked him for a suggestion of how to get from the airport to the facility. When I told him I was flying into La Guardia about 3:00 on Friday, he said he would pick me up at the airport. Step by step, the arrangements proceed and I know it is going to be a wonderful experience.

Our speaker this year has chosen "The Promises will be kept" as her topic and I will now spend the next few months working with this idea. To being, I need to be clear on just what God promises are. I thought of many examples in the Bible of God's promises being kept. There are many mentioned in Science and Health. I can also research articles from our periodicals on this theme. Should be fun and inspiring.

This week's Sentinel includes an article 'Blessings without limit' and it begins this way. When God created man and woman in His image, He blessed them saying, "Be fruitful and multiply." So I like to ask myself, How abundantly do I see my works being fruitful and multiplying? Now, that is the other side of the promises being fulfilled. Are we truly expecting them to be? I will be praying with this today.

prayering about flu and contagion

Our phone rang late last night with a message from the school district announcing that all schools would be closed immediately and for the next ten days to deal with the spreading of 'swine flu'. Turning to this week's Bible lesson, I found so many helpful references to pray with: from the Bible...It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed...for He will not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men...none of them who trust in Him will be desolate... And from Mrs. Eddy's writings...let us labor to dissolve with the universal solvent of Love the adamant of error...the divine must overcome the human at every point...God is everywhere and nothing apart from Him is present or has power...then one disease would be as readily destroyed as another...disease must lose its reality in human consciousness and disappear...Love sends forth Her everlasting strain...

From an article...if your friend believed in ghosts and his heart beat faster and he had nightmares - you, not believing in ghosts, would have no fear of 'catching' his symptoms, however real they might seem.

Another thought - when a cat and a dog meet unexpectedly the cat arches its back. You would not pray about the cat having curvature of the spine, you would simply calm its fear. For more ideas to pray with for yourself, your loved ones and your community in connection with this topic, go to Spirituality.com and read "Freedom from swine flu through God's care".

turn that procession around

In this week's Bible lesson, Doctrine of Atonement, there is a touching and powerful scene. Jesus and his disciples, along with a crowd of those seeking to hear him and those clamoring for healing, came to the city of Nain. As they approached the gates, a sad sight appeared. A funeral procession. Jews did not bury their dead within the walls of a city. A young man, the only son of his mother, had died. She was already widowed and was now without protection and provision. A large number of people accompanied her on this sad walk. So two great crowds of people were able to converge and witness this event.

When Jesus saw her, he instantly knew her situation and had compassion for her. He speaks to her these words of comfort, "weep not". I'm sure many had tried to comfort her but his words held a much different meaning. Having addressed her, he now touched the bier and those bearing it stopped. Imagine the astonishment of those around him when he said to the young man, "Young man, I say unto thee, Arise". But that was nothing compared to their amazement when the young man, who all had accepted as dead, sat up and began to speak. Jesus had already raised many from beds of infirmity and pain, now he raised this young man from a funeral bier. To complete the healing, he delivers him to his mother. One can only imagine her reaction.

And with these few words and actions, Jesus completely reversed that procession leaving the city in sorrow and mourning to one of happiness and rejoicing. Surely, when he said 'arise' it rippled out to all of those present. They felt awe and wonder and word spread that a great prophet was among them. God had visited His people. Not just a prophet, but a great prophet for in their whole history only Elijah and Elishas had revived the dead. A long period of silence in the form of prophecy now came to a close. No prophets had appeared for centuries. So this story spread quickly throughout all Judea and all the region round about.

What I love about this is how the Christ completely reversed what appeared to be consuming everyone. That is how Christian Science operates. Use it with whatever grief or sadness or illness is causing you to feel like you are in a long walk of depression. Weep not. Stand still, stop moving forward with your problem. Don't continue down that path. Listen for the Christ telling you to arise, lift up your thought, see things differently. Be delivered whole and well and happy back to those who love you. No hands were needed to help that young man, he sat up on his own. No period of getting over whatever had caused him to die, he was able to speak normally. The problem had vanished. Health was restored. That procession turned around and went back into the city with a totally different feeling. You can do the same. Today.

Nothing can 'plague' you

This week's Bible lesson asks what appears to be a simple question but we cannot take it lightly. Are sin, disease and death real? Well, they certainly seem real. This is a natural follow up to the previous Bible lesson topics, Reality and Unreality. What is real to you? What is your reality based upon?

Within the lesson is a familiar citiation from Psalm 91. If you are not familiar with this Psalm, please look it up. It is one of the most comforting and promising passages in Scripture. Its applications can change your life and help you to see the all-presence of good. Good is the theme running all through this lesson and if we can understand the allness of God and the allness of good in His creation, we can answer that question with a confident "no".

This morning, I am working with Psalm 91:10. "There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling". This is what we all want to hear and believe in this troubled economy. No evil will happen to you. No evil whatsoever. Nothing bad. That's one side of the promise. The other half balances it perfectly. Since God is good and God fills all space, then good fills all space. Not only will no bad things happen, many good things will.

The second part of this citation is wonderful. "...no plague shall come near your home". What a promise for those struggling to keep up with house payments. What relief for those suffering from spring allergies. I looked up the word 'plague'. It means a widespread affliction or calamity, a sudden destructive outbreak, a cause of annoyance, a highly infectious disease. If any other these things appear to be present in your experience, here is the way to reason whether they are real or not.

Mrs. Eddy defines 'house' as 'consciousness'. So what we are defending is not only our physical home but the things we are accepting into thought. She gives Mind as a synonym for God. If we can see that God is divine Mind and that Mind is ever present, if we can see that God is good and good is ever present, we can see that we, as His image and likeness, are part of that expressing of good. We are what God is thinking about, we are what He is dwelling on. As there is only one Mind, we can know what He is knowing, the ever presence of good. He saw all that He had made and it was very good. That includes each one of His children. Nothing else is present. No one else is present. That is what is real.

Spend a little time with Psalm 91 today. I guarantee some of the verses will really resonate with you. This is prayer, spending time with God, getting to know Him as He is and to see His goodness ever present. To see yourself as the recipient of good. Prayer brings honest-to-goodness physcial change for the better. That eliminates sickness or disease. That brings an end to sin or making poor choices that do not lead to good.

You are not the victim of any form of plague. Nothing can 'plague' you. You are enveloped in good and it is your Father's good pleasure to open the windows of heaven and pour out more good than you can possibly take in.

don't touch the hem, be wearing the garment!

As I read a familiar story in this week's Bible lesson, I was struck by an interesting idea. The woman in the story was suffering from a long-standing issue of blood. She hid herself in the throng surrounding Jesus, reasoning that if she could only touch his clothes, she would be healed. So she reached out and touched the hem of his garment. She believed that he had some power within him that healed. The hem, or blue fringe on the border of the garment, was put there by divine command, and served to remind the Jewish wearer of the special relation to God in which he stood. (See Numbers 15: 37-40) She knew, as soon as she touched him, that she was healed of that problem and the loss of blood stopped. She would have slipped away but Jesus, sensing what had happened, did not allow that. He asked who touched him. When she, fearful and trembling because what she had done broke Jewish law making those around her unclean, came forward, he made sure that she realized that it was her faith in God that had brought about the healing. And he announced this so that no one could condemn her for her actions as she was whole. If she had slipped away without knowing this, she might have been unable to get a healing next time she needed one and the Master was not around.

But what I thought about this morning was that many of us tend to identify ourselves as the person who needs the healing, the one turning to the Christ and trusting that we can make contact in some way and be healed. Think what it would be like if instead we identified ourselves with the Christ, accepting the idea that we have the same mind that was in the Master because that is the only Mind there is. We can be just as aware as he was of man's perfection and wholeness. For ourselves and for others. We are the ones wearing the garment! We are clothed in righteousness, right thinking, Truth knowing so we are always in 'our right mind', the only Mind there is.

Try looking at a familiar Bible story and ask yourself which character you are identifying with. Go about your day today imagining yourself clothed in that garment. What a concept.

Your 'Pool of Bethesda"

Included in this week's Bible lesson is the story of Jesus' healing of the man by the Pool of Bethesda. I was thinking about that this morning and asking myself, "am I sitting beside my own Pool of Bethesda"? That man had carried around a heavy burden for many years. It seems to me that what he was now doing was hoping to some miracle that would restore him to health. Restore his dignity and self esteem. Allow him to stand unaided. Give him freedom to move around on his own. He believed, as did the many others who came to this Pool, that what caused the healings was the intervention of an angel. Mrs. Eddy defines angels in Science and Health as God's messages and messengers. So this man was waiting for evidence that an angel had appeared and then hoping against hope that he would recieve the blessing.

Jesus asked the man if he wanted to be healed. An odd question but the answer establishes where the man's thought was at that point. He believes in the power of the angel, he believes healing is possible, but he feels that he is unable to be healed because to do so he must rely upon the help of others to get him to the pool. Do you feel that way? Do you think that you need the intervention of someone to move you ahead of others in the employment process? Does it seem like someone else always gets their blessing, perhaps what should have come to you?

Jesus had asked him if he wanted to be made whole. That man must have been feeling, then, that he was not whole. He was physically handicapped, he was alone, he was a victim of circumstance. Many feel that way with all the challenges around us. Do you feel that there is a hole in your life, in your body, in your relationships, in your career? Does there seem to be something missing? Jesus might well ask you the same question. Do you want to be made whole? Of course we do. But how? What was the Christ offering to do?

Mrs. Eddy writes in Science and Health that Jesus beheld the perfect man, the perfect idea of divine Mind, right where the rest of the world saw something lacking. Jesus saw everyone as whole, never having lost anything. Always as the perfect reflection of a perfect Original. Complete. Undisturbed. Whole. Healthy. Complete. Able to do all things through God who is our constant support. And he saw it so clearly that, like a light being turned on in a dark room, the man's thought of himself was lifted as well. That light of Truth shined for both of them. And it brought healing and restoration because immediately that man was whole. This was a revelation, not so much a restoration. What had always been true had been revealed. So no physical therapy was needed to strengthen weak muscles, no time was needed to recouperate. No help was needed to balance that man so he could walk on his own. No help was even needed to carry that cot. He could walk right then and there. And he did.

If there seems to be a 'Pool of Bethesda", a person or place or thing that you are looking to for help or healing, why not look instead to see that angel message coming directly to you from your Father in heaven. No pool necessary to prove its presence. Do not accept any limitation that says you can only succeed if others help you. Do not accept the suggestion that you are the victim of circumstance and that someone else gets to good before you do. Good is infinite and cannot ever be used up. There is more than enough to go around. It is God's will that you understand your relationship to Him as His very own beloved child. That comes with divine rights and privleges.

Turn away from the 'Pool' and look for your angel. It is your very own angel and its message cannot be diverted, delayed or erased. When you feel that you are in the presence of the Christ...rise...take up your bed...and walk. Lift thought to cling to perfect God and perfect child. Be made whole.

That which concerns me

Another favorite Bible passage is in this week's Bible lesson: The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me...) from Psalms 138. I like to pray with this one using it two ways.

First, it is so comforting to know that my Father will perfect the things that are causing me concern. The things that concern me. He will open up what seems to be a blocked way, He will make clear some direction that is confusing me, He will smooth out any relationship challenges, He will provide me with abundance when I am concerned about adequate supply. No matter what it is that is causing me to feel concern, I can trust His care and control.

Secondly, it is so supportive to know that God is also going to straighten out anything that concerns me, things about me in my own thought or in the thought of others. Another name for God is divine Mind, the only Mind, the all-knowing and wise Mind. If we understand this, we see that we are all reflections of the intelligence, that wisdom, that knowing. We are not holding our own opinons, just reflecting His as His image and likeness. There are zillions of individual minds, just an infinite number of ways that Mind is knowing things. So God is fully aware of everything about me.

Our bodies express what governs and occuplies our thought. Are you feeling a sense of heaviness or foreboding and is that expressed in weight issues? Are you feeling unsure about a decision that needs to be made and that is being expressed in stomach problems or dizziness? Whatever you are entertaining in thought is what comes out on the body. I love to envision Jesus walking on the water right in the midst of a storm. What lightness. What confidence. What mastery of the elements. What control. We would all like to move through life like that. The message in that Psalm helps. In another part of the lesson we read this from Science and Health: "...Mind can impart purity instead of impurity, strength instead of weakness, and health instead of disease. Truth is an alterative in the entire system, and can make it every whit whole."

I'll be praying with these passages today.

Morning Chapel

When my kids were young, they attended a school where the staff and Administration were all Christian Scientists. Each school day started with a gathering for Chapel and parents were invited to share in it. The classes took turns participating in Chapel, with readings from the Bible or a good thought for the day. A side benefit was giving the children poise and confidence as they spoke before their peers in a safe and supporting environment.

I remember staying for Chapel one day and hearing a verse from the Bible that is in this week's Bible Lesson. The verse is from Psalms 19: "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer."

The words of my mouth. May everything I say be acceptable to God. That can be a tall order as we go about our day. But, not a bad exercise to stop and think what God would think about what you just said. Keep a closer eye on how positive or negative your reactions are and what it says about you. If what you say is acceptable in God's eyes, then it can't be offensive or hurtful to others, nor can it be misunderstood.

That goes for your inner thoughts as well. We can often stop ourselves before we say something we might later regret, but do we take the time to change what we are thinking, if it a thought that would not be acceptable to God. The things we think about our family members, our fellow workers, the person at the check out line, the other drivers on your commute. Do we allow unpleasant or unkind things to stay in our thinking? If we do, they might just slip out when we speak. Better to keep those things we mediatate on, think about, brood over, reminate upon, be acceptable to God as well.

The simple exercise of this lovely prayer is to keep what you say and think pure and good. It certainly makes for a calmer and happier attitude. But this needs to be based on spiritual law, the Principle that comes from the account of creation in Genesis where God saw everything that He had made and it was very good. Nothing unpleasant, evil, unkind, painful mentioned in that account. Nothing that could cause us to think badly of others or be thought badly of in return. Taking it back to God eliminates those things that would cause us to see any one in the wrong light. Much better to see by the light of Truth.

If you are new to Bible study, you might start with the book of Psalms and read through looking for verses like this one that you can copy out and carry around with you. That verse concludes by recognizing God as our strength and redeemer. What we can rely upon and be supported by. Thw Word of God never fails.

Calm yourself, Iago

When things appear to be getting out of hand, I often pray with this verse, Psalms 46:10. "Be still, and know that I am God".

There is a moment in the Disney version of Aladdin when the evil Sorcerer's parrot is having a fit about what is going on. There is a long stream of complaints until the Sorcerer uses his fingers to close the bird's beak and say, "Calm yourself, Iago". I laugh every time. And when I find that I need to calm thought for myself or someone else, I think about this. It is my response for the first part....be still. It is only in perfectly still water that you get that clear reflection that so exactly matches the original. Be still. Stop fussing, stop fidgeting, stop trying to fix matter, stop complaining. Just be still. Quiet. Noiseless. Soundless. Motionless. It is in this kind of stillness that one can really listen for angel messages. This is when you hear divine Love's answer.

Having found this stillness, the next part is to 'know'. What is it we are to know? Mrs. Eddy assures us "Ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free". The truth about God being All in all. Filling all space. Always present. For everyone. In absolute control. Giving His child dominion. God, the source of all power. God as the only cause and Creator. All of God's creation being very good. No illness. No pain. No conflict. No lack. No inharmony. No confusion. No fear. Most of all, no fear. Knowing that God can and will take care of every human need removes any sense of fear. There is nothing to be fearful about. We can trust Him. We can rely on His perfect plan.

When God gave Moses a way to address Him, a way to describe Him to others He said: "I AM THAT I AM". I AM. Present tense. What a tremendous concept to 'get', that God IS. Right here. Right now. I AM in charge. I AM providing all you need. I AM the source of all good. I AM your God and you are My image and likeness, just like Me in every way. Just like the image in the mirror exactly shows the original. If it isn't true about the Original, it can't show up on the reflection, whatever 'it' claims to be.

Be still. Know. I AM.
Calm yourself, Iago

Nazareth or Capernaum response?

In the 3rd section of this week's Bible lesson Jesus meets with two very different responses to his words. He had been traveling and then returned to his home in Nazareth. He went to the synogogue and taught. The people of Nazareth were surprized by his gracious words but they had known him growing up there and all they could see was the son of Joseph the carpenter. Surely, this person could not be the Messiah. They became angry and attempt to harm him, but he passed among them and went his way.

He finds a different response when he visits Capernaum. Again he goes to the synogogue and preaches. But here they feel his power and their response is to bring any that were sick to him for healing. And every one was healed. After a while, he prepares to move on and they follow him, asking him to stay with them. But he knows he must continue his ministry.

Two very different reactions to hearing about our relationship with God. One cold and judgmental, the other receptive and open, drinking in his words and desiring more. This section is about the path we choose to walk and the way we choose to walk in it. It fits beautifully with an article in this week's Sentinel entitled Foot Prints. I will pray with this section of our lesson and ponder the beautiful Sentinal article as I walk my path today.

Which law do we choose to obey?

In the second section of this week's Bible lesson on Matter there is the restoring of the man with a withered hand. This is now the third time that the adversaries of our Lord have accused him of breaking the Sabbath laws. Remember, these laws are not any of the Ten Commandments given by God, but traditions put in place by man. Yet, if any of the 613 rules were disobeyed, punishment would follow. There are laws that govern man, but they are the laws of God, spiritual laws. Any laws that condemsn man to suffer are the so-called laws of matter. They are not really laws at all and they have no power behind them to enforce them. God's law is a protection to man and that is a totally different thing.

In this story, Jesus is in the synogogue. He sees a man whose right hand was withered. That detail comes from the gospel of Luke, the physician, who always noticed those things. We do not know if this withering was the result of an accident or some disease that gradually led to its loss of motion. Whatever the cause, the result was probably that his man could no longer work. Jesus is questioned by the Pharisees about whether it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath. He responds with an example that would have made perfect sense to those who were listening in. He asks them who would among them, owning only one sheep, and that sheep fallen into a pit, wouldn't lift it out? How much better then is a man? Disappointed in their hardness of heart, their willingness to let someone suffer rather than break a foolish law, he turns to the man and tells him to stretch forth his hand. Only malice could call healing by a word, without labour or medicine, a breach of the sabbath. Jesus then healed with that simple sentence. The man obeyed his command and his hand was restored

Now before we condemn that hardness of heart, let's be sure we are not doing the same thing. How often do we make a casual remark about someone being exposed to contagion or think that they might have some sickness that God never created. Or, being sick ourselves, believe we have to go through some series of symptoms until we are well again. Are we choosing to listen to and obey false laws not of God's making? God saw all that He had created and it was very good. So nothing that claims to make us sick or hurt originates with divine Love. Or, as Mrs. Eddy writes in Science and Health: "Every law of matter or the body, supposed to govern man, is rendered null and void by the law of Life, God." Don't choose to obey the wrong laws and suffer needlessly. Choose God and His divine law of everpresent good.

choose wisely

There is a scene in the third Indiana Jones movie when the villain chooses from an array of cups, seeking the real holy grail. Drinking from the false one causes him to wither up and die. The guardian of the Grail says, "He choose poorly".

There is a parable in this week's Bible lesson, an example Jesus gave, about choosing wisely. It is the parable of the tares and the wheat. All of his listeners understood how frustrating it can be, and how devastating to a crop, to find intrusive weeds in your field. Especially when you have started with the finest seed and carefully prepared and tended the ground. All of us know how frustrating it can be to start out with the best thoughts, carefully work with a project we hope to bring to fruition, only to find that the problem does not yield, the challenge is not overcome, the job does not appear, no new clients sign on. We are shocked and disappointed. Like the man's servants, we look around to see who is to blame. But that wise man did not react quickly to the presence of the weeds and we should not react quickly to the appearance of error in the form of a false idea. False things have no real basis and they will not last. The wise man was willing to be patient and to trust in the value of the good seed that had been planted, the good work that had been done. The error would be easy to identify in time, as would the wheat, and they would then be separated. The tares are gathered and burned. The good wheat harvested. That right idea was allowed to grow strong and get established, well developed. He couldn't bring that field into perfect condition immediately, but he knew what the final outcome would be if allowed to come to maturity undisturbed. We never need to make a big deal out of problems. That usually just makes things worse. Keep watching the good seed, trust in it.

I look forward to 'digging in' to the rest of the lesson!

notes to self

I have posted several notes to myself. One is on the mirror in the bathroom, where I am sometimes tempted to be unhappy with what I see reflected there. That note is from Psalm 139 and it says: "I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well." That one is a reminder to not be critical of God's creation, to appreciate my uniqueness, and be grateful for how God sees me.

Another one is taped on to my check book cover. It is a quote from Mary Baker Eddy and I am reminded of it every time I go to write a check. She wrote: "Giving does not impoverish us in the service of our Maker, neither does withholding enrich us." When I am tempted to be fearful about seeing the balance in the checkbook go down, when I need to honor a debt, when I want to make a donation, these are all opportunities to see that my true source of supply is unlimited. Supply is a spiritual concept and God has promised me I will have all I need at every moment. All that He has is available to me.

I am thinking about putting a few more of these notes around the house and in the car. It's fun to find just the right quote from the Bible, Mrs. Eddy's writings, or our hymnal to lift thought when that is most needed. Give it a try and let me know what you came up with.

substance

This week's Bible lesson is on Substance. Sub means under. Stance means standing. What are you standing on? What do you stand for? Many of the Bible characters mentioned in the Responsive Reading had to answer those questions. Enoch's understanding of substance allowed him to be 'translated' so that he did not experience death. Abraham had to lean on his faith when God directed him to leave his comfortable home at the age of 75 and set out without even knowing quite where he was going. Abraham had to have a very clear understanding of 'home' to do that, and to take everyone with him. Moses chose to separate himself from the privledged life of an Egyptian prince and return to his roots. Then he did even more than that when he led the people totally away from Egypt and lives of slavery.

We all face questions of just how we are perceiving our life, our family, our job, our church. Just what we understand those to be. When all else seems to fail, what can we rely on not to fail us. When 'all material streams are dry', where can we turn for a stream of income. When we feel very much alone, who can be our best friend and companion? Where do we see ourselves fitting in? Waht do we have to give?

One good place to start....is at the beginning. Genesis One. God is the sole creator and when His work is done, He is pleased. "All things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made." Only what God says exists actually exists. Has true substance. And that substance can't ever run out, be used up, delayed.

Oh, I know. Here it comes. But. How many sentences start with that thought! But. But I don't have a job. But I don't have a family. But I don't have good health. As soon as that negativity creeps in, you know you have taken yourself out of the first account of creation and are identifying with Genesis Two. The land of Mist. The land of Missed. Man made of the dust of the ground. Made created to toil for his livelihood. Get out of there! Why would you even want to stay there? Go back to seeing yourself as made in the image and likeness of God. What is true about Him is true about you by reflection. Is God has all He needs, so do you. If God is in perfect health, so are you. If whatever the problem seems to be doesn't appear to be happening to God, it can't touch you either. True substance. True understanding of just who and what you are. Gratitude. Peace. Happiness. Contentment. Opportunities to reach out and help others. Opportunities to be the one helped. Wake up. Get out of that Adam dream and see that you never really left God's, good's, presence.

Mrs. Eddy writes that every function of the real man is governed by God, by the divine Mind that is all-knowing and all-loving. You can trust in that. Just like it says on our coins. In the first account of Genesis all is harmonious and eternal. Sounds pretty good. It is pretty good. See yourself there. Let that be your foundation, the rock you stand on, lifted above life's challenges. Your under-standing. Your true substance.

deafness and lectures

That may sound like a strange way to begin this blog but let me explain. For the application goes way beyond the original occurance. A friend emailed me a convocation address given at Principia College in 1998. The subject was 'church', which is my personal study for 2009. Within the address were some really amazing thoughts about the importance of church attendance. I will be working with those today. But in the middle of the article was a reference to someone the author knew, and this is what totally blew me away. His friend had been deaf until he reached young adulthood, when he had been healed. He went on to be a Christian Science lecturer. The author asked him whether he had ever known of any other healings of deafness and his response was 'Oh yes, a number of people wee healed of deafness during my lectures."

Isn't it astounding that someone who was deaf even went to a lecture! These are not video shows, it was sound, the spoken word. But they came anyway. That says a lot about what there expectation was for healing. The words that healed them did not come through the physical senses. It was the power of the Christ speaking to them right where they were. Christian Science does heal.

There are many levels of deafness. Sometimes we just refuse to hear something we do not want to hear. Sometimes we insist on hearing something that was not spoken at all, or misinterpreting what the speaker meant. Sometimes there appears to be a blockage that has built up over time, shutting out what we need to hear.

I want to think about this today. I want to be open to that conversation with the Christ. I'm all ears.

Don't try to fix Genesis Two

Where does error come from? Certainly not from the account of creation given in Genesis One, where God saw everything that He had made and it was very good, including mankind, His very own ideas. NO mention of evil, error, lack, sickness, conflict there at all.

It starts with a mist or fog in a dream within a material creation described in Genesis Two. It affects a man-created woman who is mislead by a talking snake suggesting that there is both good and evil and that it is worth knowing about. She accepts this lie, passes the information along to Adam, and things go downhill from there.

Don't try to fix Genesis Two! See instead that you are not and never were part of that dream in the mist...stuck in the midst of good and evil. You are the cherished idea of divine Mind, safe in the first account of creation, surrounded by His good plan, already in place, unfolding day by day.

What happens to evil, to the talking snake? By the end of the Bible it has swollen into a big, red dragon. A lie accepted by one person, spread as truth to others, accepted, only causes the problems to increase. But the snake doesn't win! God's angel messengers and messages of the ever presence of good defeat it and deflate it. It is cast out of thought and out of experience.

Ty asssociating yourself with Genesis One today. If it isn't in that account, don't accept it as anything more than a lie from a liar who only exists in a mist in a dream. No substance or reality in that at all. God, good, on the other hand is absolutely real and wonderful and constantly ready to bless and protect His child. Let Him. Nothing can come between you and God. You can read that as a positive statement or you can believe that 'nothing' is real and able to cause you problems and that is all that comes between you and Good. A big fat nothing. You don't even have to do battle with it, that already happened and it lost. Just stop accepting it as your reality. It isn't. Don't keep trying to fix Genesis Two...rejoice that you are in Genesis One. Relax in the arms of divine Love and watch your day unfold as He intends it to be. No mist, no missed payments, no missed opportunities, no missed deadlines, no missing items. No dream multiplying into a nightmare human existence filled with problems, illness and lack. No man-made person swayed by the cunning lies of a talking snake. No spreading of that lie to encompass others. No dragon. Just ask yourself, did this happen in Genesis One? If it didn't, it doesn't have to ruin your day, your life or your health. See yourself surrounded by everything good, supported by divine Love itself. Because that is what is really happening.